RADICAL FEMINISM

A position in feminist theories with great influence in the latter part of the 20th and early 21st centuries. The main tenets of which are: 1) The oppression of women in all societies is pandemic. 2) Having acknowledged the ubiquitous and systemic nature of the oppression, radical, sweeping change is the only "cure". 3) Traditional gender roles serve only to perpetuate the oppression on women and constrain maturity and growth in men on the subject and ought to be changed. 4) Biology is not a legitimate factor in shaping the destiny of women and 5) Raising the consciousness of women to view their problems as symptomatic is the beginning of true liberation. To one degree or another, these principles have informed other feminist thought.

RADICAL FEMINISM: "Radical feminism holds that women's destiny must not be determined by biological factors."